Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order Review (PC)

excellent
key review info
  • Game: Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
  • Platform: PC
  • Show system requirements
  • Gamepad support: Yes  
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Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order key art

Electronic Arts doesn't have the best track record when it comes to Star Wars games, but Fallen Order is the opposite of their recent attempts. Is this a game finally worthy of its legacy? The answer is a simple yes.

EA bought the rights to make games in the Star Wars universe, which only means there's no competition and they face no pressure, besides the sales. That's probably one of the reasons why they could afford to have one mediocre launch after another and not be worried too much about it.

Their previous two games, Star Wars Battlefield I and II, had a host of issues ranging from the microtransactions to the lack of a story mode. To be fair, Battlefield II had a story, but it wasn't anything remotely close to what people expected to play. Very few Star Wars titles figured out a way to capture the interest of the players with characters that didn't wield a lightsaber.

In some ways, Faller Order seems to be a kneejerk reaction from Electronic Arts after all of the criticism they faced until now. In fact, one of the ways the game was marketed was to appeal directly to the people upset about their previous titles. The publisher announced that their next foray would have no microtransactions, and it will be single-player only, just like it used to happen.

Whatever the reason behind EA's decision to support such as title, we can only be glad that Faller Order saw the light of day. It wouldn't have been the first time when we see a fantastic game in action only to be canceled a while later. Doesn't everyone remember 1313?

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
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Story

It's nice to talk about the story in a single-player game because we don't usually get a complete experience. Developers need to focus on multiple aspects, with most of the resources diverted towards multiplayer, microtransactions, and other areas in detriment to the story.

In single-player games, the developers can focus on gameplay and mechanics that don't see a lot of love. But more importantly, the story is used as the backbone for the gameplay and not the other way around. All too often, we see a beautiful game that struggles because there's nothing there to support it, and the latest Battlefields titles fit very well in this category.

Players get to control a former Jedi padawan named Cal Kestis who's trying to survive five years after the infamous order 66 was given, and pretty all of the known Jedi were assassinated. His traumatic experience led him to lose most of his contact with the Force, allowing players to relearn everything slowly.

He's discovered working on salvage, on a remote planet, and he's forced to flee for his life, only to be intercepted by a former Jedi, Cere Junda. Along with the pilot of the Stinger Mantis, Greez Dritus, they take off to planet Bogano where a former Jedi Master resided, who was studying a Force-sensitive race that was long extinct. Cere Junda's goal is to rebuild the Order, but she needs Cal's help.

On the other hand, Cal needs to relearn much of what he's forgotten, and travels to different planets, following the breadcrumb trail left by Jedi Master Eno Cordova. The best part about the story is that it's not something using a "fate of the galaxy" plot as an engine. If you take out the story of Cal out of the entire Star Wars saga, nothing will change. And making it about a more achievable goal somehow enhances the storytelling.

All of the characters are well defined, with interesting backstories, and pretty much everything you heard from various conversations is tied into the main plot. The result is that you begin to care about everyone, especially about the droid that's following your everywhere, BD-1.

Gameplay

The gameplay is not exactly original as it borrows from various other genres, with success I might add. If we forgo the lightsaber, we could make a weird analogy and say that it sometimes feels like a mix between Tomb Raider and Dark Souls. It's not as punishing as Dark Souls, but it follows the same recipe.

Fallen Order is separated into large maps that can't be explored fully from the beginning. Once you start unlocking new moves and techniques, more paths become available; sometimes, it's worth it to go back and explore some of the zones that were previously unavailable.

The skill tree is large enough to keep players occupied and guessing on what they should be unlocking next, but the needed experience is not difficult to come by. To make things more interesting, you can only heal and refill your health stims by meditating, but that also respawns all the enemies you've just dispatched. It's a great way to get some more experience, especially if you just a little to move onto the next level.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
+8more

The game also comes with a reasonably large number of cosmetic customizations for the main character, BD-1, and the ship. It's a nice touch, but some of the things available could be considered overkill. For example, you'll find lots of materials for the sword, but the handle itself is hardly visible. The only thing that makes a real impact is the color of the sword, but there are only three to choose from, with the orange one available only if you have the pre-order bonus.

And of course, we have to mention the double-blade sword, which is a model made famous by Darth Maul in The Phantom Menace. Cal can switch between one and double blades easily, each with its strengths and weaknesses. The double-blade is very useful with multiple attackers because it's more difficult to get hit from the back, but it doesn't do the same damage. The single blade is more powerful, but it leaves the players open.

By far, the most entertaining aspect is the puzzle nature of the level design. Sometimes, I found it challenging to get to the solution, and my only regret is that there weren't more moments like this. The map is also incredibly useful, even if it might seem terrible when you first start.

Graphics and sound

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is built on the Unreal engine, which acquits itself of the task, but doesn't really shine. It's clear that a lot of effort was put into Cal's hair, which moves with the slightest breeze, but the textures are a little bit bland, and the animations and transitions seem wonky, at times.

As for the sound, the voice over is pretty much as good as you're going to get, and that's a compliment. Very few games put in the time for a proper voiceover, and it's easy to see that no corners were cut in this department.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order
+6more

The Good

  • Interesting and captivating story
  • Compelling characters
  • BD-1
  • Nice level design
  • Solid gameplay mechanics

The Bad

  • Too short
  • The textures and animations need a bit more polish

Conclusion

Being an EA game, albeit developed by Respawn Entertainment, I had some doubts, but they were quickly dispelled. It stands as proof that single-player games can stand on their own. The only problem is that if you rush through it, you could finish Fallen Order in about 12 hours, but that excludes finding the secrets and unlocking all the cool stuff.

Lastly, I have to mention the name, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. To me, it sounds like Star Wars Jedi could be a new line of games, with Fallen Order being just the first one. We can only dream.

story 9
gameplay 8
concept 9
graphics 8
audio 9
multiplayer 0
final rating 9
Editor's review
excellent
 
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Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order screenshots (46 Images)

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order key art
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